Harvey Feldman died peacefully at home in Tucson, AZ, surrounded by loving family Nov. 5, 2024, after a long series of illnesses.

Harvey was born Aug. 7, 1940, to Mike and Rose Feldman in Minneapolis. He was a proud North High School Class of 1958 graduate, where he played football, baseball, basketball, and was named the Hy Truman outstanding Jewish scholar-athlete by the Mercury Club in 1957. He had movie star good looks, drove a convertible, and drank strawberry pop.

Harvey had dreams of becoming a professional baseball player or a dancer in the mold of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. He parlayed his childhood dreams into a long and distinguished career in parks and recreation after being the last player cut from the University of Minnesota Gophers baseball team in 1959, and after a short stint teaching dance at the Arthur Murray School.

Harvey met Andrea "Andy" Marks at his best friend Melvin's house; Andy was best friends with Melvin's sister, Beth. Harvey and Andy were married Nov. 24, 1963, and were about to celebrate 61 years together at the time of his death. They had two children, Brett and Stephanie. Harvey put the kids on tiny downhill skis as soon as they could walk; they became his two most dedicated ski companions for the rest of his life. He was legendary for hosting specially themed birthday parties, and he once scared all the neighborhood kids by performing a mock surgery from behind a backlit sheet, a storytelling art he perfected as a camp counselor.

Harvey received his B.S. in parks and recreation in 1962 and his M.Ed. in parks and recreation in 1996 from the University of Minnesota. Following a season as a youth worker for Crystal, MN parks while in college, he became the City of New Hope's first parks and recreation director (1963-1970), before becoming the parks and rec director in Richfield (1970-75), and an assistant superintendent with the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board (1975-1996).

Harvey briefly served as interim director of parks and rec for the City of St. Louis Park before shifting into teaching parks and recreation management for 12 years at the University of Minnesota.

After he retired from the U of M in 2008, he consulted with parks departments locally and nationally. Students, colleagues, friends, neighbors, golf partners, ski buddies, and mentees knew he wanted them to succeed at whatever they were doing. He was involved with various local, state and national parks associations throughout his entire adult life, and his family, friends and colleagues knew he loved them above all else.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his nephew Kenny.

He is survived by his wife, Andy; son, Brett (Elizabeth Haugen); daughter, Stephanie; sister, Marilyn; brother, Stanley (Carole); nephew Kyle; and honorary son Tsegaye Mengistu (Haimi Girma). A celebration of life will be held at the Eddie Manderville Chalet in Theodore Wirth Park, Golden Valley, Friday, April 25, 1-4:30 p.m. Program starts at 1:30 p.m. and reception follows. For more on Harvey's life see the Star Tribune story published Nov. 7, 2024. In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to the Minnesota Recreation and Park Foundation to a scholarship created in his name.